Trash and refuse depository system

ABSTRACT

A NOVEL PNEUMATIC, AUTOMATIC TRASH AND REFUSE DEPOSITORY SYSTEM AND STATION WHICH COMPRISES A BAG FOR RECEIVING TRASH AND REFUSE POSITIONED FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TRASH. DOOR MEANS ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO BE OPENED WHEN DESIRED SO AS TO IMPOSE A VACUUM PRESSURE ON THE BAG TO REMOVE IT FROM THE PERFORATED OR MESH SUPPORT AND TO INTRODUCE THE BAG CONTAINING THE TRASH AND REFUSE INTO THE CONVEYING SYSTEM FOR TRANSMISSION TO A CENTRAL COLLECTION STATION.

B. T. E. BOON TRASH AND' REFUSE DEPOSITORY SYSTEM Sept. 20, 1971 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 23, 1970 FIG. I.

FIG. 3.

Sept. 20, 197} a. T. E. BOON I TRASH AND REFUSE DEPOSITORY SYSTEM 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1970 "ll'llll'lill' INVENTOR BRUCE T. E.BOON BY United States Patent 3,606,478 TRASH AND REFUSE DEPOSITORYSYSTEM Bruce T. E. Boon, Wayne, N.J., assignor to Eastern CycloneIndustries, Inc., Fairfield, NJ. Filed July 23, 1970, Ser. No. 57,590Int. Cl. 365g 53/00 US. Cl. 302-2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anovel pneumatic, automatic trash and refuse depository system andstation which comprises a bag for receiving trash and refuse positionedfor the introduction of the trash. Door means are also provided to beopened when desired so as to impose a vacuum pressure on the bag toremove it from the perforated or mesh support and to introduce the bagcontaining the trash and refuse into the conveying system fortransmission to a central collection station.

This invention pertains to a novel pneumatic, automatic trash and refusedepository system and station which comprises a bag for receiving trashand refuse positioned for the introduction of the trash. Door means arealso provided to be opened when desired so as to impose a vacuumpressure on the bag to remove it from the perforated or mesh support andto introduce the bag containing the trash and refuse into the conveyingsystem for transmission to a central collecting station.

The present invention is specifically concerned with a novel trash andrefuse collecting system comprising one or more unique collectingstations positioned at desired selected trash collecting pointsintegrated with a pneumatic conveying system. The collecting stationsare such that trash, laundry, debris, refuse and the like may bedeposited therein at any time, and at periodic intervals the collectingstation or stations may be activated either manually or automatically tointroduce the bags into a pneumatic conveying system for passage to acentral collecting point. In essence the station'comprises a bagpositioned in a perforated or mesh support basket and pneumatic meansfor removing the bag containing the trash from the perforated or meshsupport means and for introducing the bag into the pneumatic conveyingsystem.

It is known that in industrial plants, hospitals and the like trash,laundry and the like accumulates throughout the various areas. Thecollection and transportation of these items represent significantcosts. In addition when these collections and transportations are donemanually the areas are never entirely clean and tidy. Thus, the presentsystem not only reduces these large labor costs for collection andtransmission of trash, but actually also improves cleanliness, safetyfeatures and overall hygenic conditions of all areas.

The present invention may be readily understood by reference to thedrawings illustrating embodiments of the same.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a collecting station showing the housing dooropen, while FIG. 2 is a side view showing the air lock door open and thebag entering the pneumatic system.

FIG. 3 shows the bottom supporting structure of the housing with theperforated basket swinging out while FIG. 4 is an overall view of thecollecting station.

Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the collecting station comprises acircular housing 1 with the hinged door 2 in the open position. Whendoor 2 is clamped shut or otherwise secured the circular or cylindricalhousing is substantially air tight except for the open bottom 3. The

bottom comprises cross bars 4 and 5 adapted to support the perforatedbasket, (FIG. 3). Perforated basket 6 is shown positioned within thecircular housing 1 supporting within it trash bag 7, which bag ispreferably a plastic type bag. The top of bag 7 overlaps preferably byabout 1" or 2 the upper edge of the supporting perforated basket 6.

A vacuum exists in conduit or conveying duct 8 which is imposed from acentral suction blower system operating in a conventional manner. Thisvacuum is not imposed beyond airtight door 9 until the door is opened toconvey bag 7 into the conveying duct. A manual or automatic control 10functions to initiate a conventional operating means which opens andcloses door 9. A hinged trash depository door 11 is positioned in thehousin above the bag through which trash material may be dropped intothe bag. FIG. 2 shows seal door 9 open wih the bag 7 passing from basket6 into conveying duct 8.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, a supporting rod 12 is hinged at 13 tothe bottom of housing 1 and is hinged at 14 to the bottom of basket 6.Perforations 15 are shown in the bottom of basket 6. Thus by swingingsupporting rod 12 about hinge 13 so that hinge 14 is opposite hinge 13and above the bottom of 1 and by swinging basket 6 about hinge 14 thebottom of basket 6 will be substantially concentric with the bottom ofhousing 1, and will be positioned within housing 1. Door 2 of housing 1can then be closed to completely encase basket 6.

In operation door 11 may be swung open and material, trash, debris,laundry and the like passed through door 11 and dropped downwardly intobag 7. When bag 7 is full, or at periodic intervals, clock or handmechanism 10 will function to initiate operation of conventional meansto open airtight door 9. The vacuum existing in duct 8 will causeatmospheric air to flow through the open bottom of housing 1, up alongthe sides of perforated basket 6 and through the holes in the bottom andthe side of basket 6. This will cause bag 7 containing the trash to passthrough open door 9 into the conveying duct 8. The bags from the variouscollecting stations will then be collected at a central disposalstation. After the bag has passed by door 9, the door operating meanswill close the door thus sealing off the vacuum pressure existing induct 8 from housing 1.

In order to reload the unit for the next cycle, housing door 2 is swungopen and the basket 6 swung into position as shown in FIG. 3. A new bag7 is inserted in basket 6 and the mechanism then swung back withinhousing 1 and housing door 2 clamped shut, thus initiating a new cycle.

FIG. 4 illustrates in further detail the disposal station. Elementssimilar to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are similarly numbered. The basket loadingaccess door or housing door 2 is shown in the open position. Theperforated basket 6 is shown both in the operating and in the open bagloading position. The swing out support arm 12 for basket 6 is clearlyillustrated. Also a conventional linkage 20 to operate the air lock door9 is illustrated. This linkage is preferably operated by an air cylinder21 energized by a control mechanism 10.

It is within the concept of the present invention to actuate the openingof the seal door 9 mechanism by the weight of the trash or refuse in thebag. Thus by conventional switch means when the Weight of the trash inthe bag reaches a predetermined amount, a switch, positioned for examplebelow the bag or basket will close to actuate the opening of seal door9, thus passing the loaded bag into the conveying system. An externalwarning light may also be utilized to alert personnel as to the propertime to install or to refrain from installing a new bag.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A trash-refuse conveying system which comprises in combination: (1) acollection station; (2) a conveyin'g duct extending from said collectionstation to (3) a depository station; (4) means for imposing a vacuumpressure within said duct; said depository station characterized by (5)an elongated housing one end of which is in communication with theatmosphere and the other end of which is attached to said duct; (6) aseal door, adapted to open and close, positioned between the other endof said housing and said duct; (7) a perforated bag support means withinsaid housing; (8) a bag positioned within said bag support means and (9)a loading door in said housing positioned above said bag for theintroduction of trash-refuse into said bag whereby when said sealingdoor is opened said bag containing said trash-refuse will pass from saidperforated bag support means, through said sealing door, through saidduct and be conveyed to said collecting station.

2. System as defined by claim 1 wherein said housing is furthercharacterized; (10) by a bag loading door positioned in said housing ina manner to permit said perforated bag support means to be removed fromwithin said housing to without said housing.

3. System as defined by claim 2 wherein said bag support means isremoved from within said housing by swinging the same to without saidhouing by means of; (11) a supporting swing arm one end of which ispivotally attached to said housing while the other end is pivotallyattached to the lower end of said bag supporting means.

4. System as defined by claim 3 wherein the length of said arm issubstantially equivalent to the diameter of said housing.

5. System as defined by claim 1 wherein said bag support means is acylindrical element, the upper end of which is open, the lower end ofwhich comprises a perforated plate.

6. System as defined by claim 5 wherein the circumferential side of saidcylindrical element is perforated.

7. System as defined by claim 1 wherein said seal door is adapted toopen at periodic intervals actuated by, (12) a time mechanism.

8. System as defined by claim 1 wherein said seal door is adapted toopen in response to (13) anactuating switch which is triggered by theweight of refuse in said bag.

9. System as defined by claim 1 wherein the upper edge of said bag lapsover the upper edge of said perforated support means.

10. System as defined by claim 1 wherein said bag comprises a plasticbag.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 570,161 10/1896 Fordyce 3022FOREIGN PATENTS 1,378,809 10/1964 France 302-2 ANDRES H. NIELSEN,Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 30226, 36

